Feeding Out Future was a conduit for illegal payments

And a new poll, Minnesota voters say crime is rising, but feel safe near home 

View this email as a web page Sept. 20, 2022 Major news out of Minnesota today: Federal authorities on Tuesday charged 47 people in what they described as the country's largest COVID-19 funding scam, alleging an elaborate Minnesota-based operation stole at least $250 million in federal funds meant to feed needy children but that went instead to buy cars, luxury goods, jewelry and property in the United States, Kenya and Turkey. Read below for more.  Subscribe to our Minnesota Today podcast to get up-to-date news twice daily. Feds: 47 charged in 'brazen' $250M COVID spending fraud centered in Minnesota The alleged scheme was centered around Feeding Our Future, a Minnesota nonprofit that prosecutors say was a conduit for illegal payments and whose leaders received kickbacks. Charges include conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering and bribery. Poll: Minnesota voters think crime is rising, yet feel safe near home Most Minnesotans believe that crime in their community increased in recent years, according to the latest MPR News/Star Tribune/KARE 11 poll. In all, 54 percent said they thought crime had increased, while 45 percent said it stayed flat. Another one percent said it declined. Despite that perceived increase in crime, 83 percent said they did not fear being attacked or threatened in their own neighborhood.  Minnesotans helping with relief efforts in wake of hurricane in Puerto Rico Efforts are underway in Minnesota to raise money to help Puerto Rico following the devastating flooding and other damage caused by Hurricane Fiona over the weekend. The Minnesota-based fund El Fondo Boricua serves Latino communities in Minnesota and across the country, and is working on hurricane relief. Fire causes damage — again — at one of the oldest buildings in Minneapolis Minneapolis firefighters responded to the John H. Stevens House in Minnehaha Regional Park on Tuesday and found a fire at the back of the house. The white clapboard wooden structure was built by Stevens in about 1850, and reportedly was the first wood frame house on the west bank of the Mississippi River in what was to become Minneapolis.  Minnesota Timberwolves' Edwards fined $40K by NBA for homophobic remark Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards was fined $40,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for homophobic comments he made on social media. The league announced the punishment for Edwards' use of "offensive and derogatory language" in a since-deleted Instagram video he later apologized for. SPONSOR   Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe today! Preference Center ❘ Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio 480 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN, 55101